Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 3.djvu/623

Rh PVRRHUS. and drove his brother Antipater out of Macedonia, B. c. *294, though it appears that the latter was subsequently allowed to retain a small portion of the country. (Thirlwall's Greece^ vol. viii. p. 16.) Pyrrhus had greatly increased his power by the large accession of territory which he had thus gained, and he still further strengthened himself by forming an alliance with tlie Aetolians ; but the rest of Macedonia unexpectedly fell into the hands of a powerful neighbour. Alexander had applied to Demetrius for assistance at the same time as he sent to Pyrrhus for the same purpose ; but as the latter was the nearest at hand, he had restored Alexander to his kingdom before Demetrius could arrive at the scene of action. Demetrius, however, was unwilling to lose such an opportunity of ag- grandizement ; he accordingly left Athens, and reached Macedonia towards the end of the year B. c. 294. He had not been there many days be- fore he put Alexander to death, and thus became king of Macedonia. Between two such powerful neighbours and such restless spirits, as Demetrius and Pyrrhus, jealousies and contentions were sure to arise. Each was anxious for the dominions of the other, and the two former friends soon became the most deadly enemies. Deidameia, who might have acted as a mediator between her husband and lier brother, was now dead. The jealousies between the two rivals at length broke out into open war in B. c. 291. It was during this year that Thebes revolted a second time against Demetrius, probably at the instigation of Pyrrhus ; and while the Ma- cedonian monarch proceeded in person to chastise the rebellious inhabitants, Pyrrhus effected a diver- sion in their favour by invading Thessaly, but was compelled to retire into Epeirus before the superior forces of Demetrius. In b. c. 290 Thebes surren- dered, and Demetrius was thus at liberty to take vengeance on Pyrrhus and his Aetolian allies. Ac- cordingly, he invaded Aetolia in the spring of B.C. 2}i9, and after overrunning and ravaging the country almost without opposition, he marched into Epeirus, leaving Pantauchus with a strong body of his troops to keep the Aetolians in subjection. Pyrrhus ad- vanced to meet him ; but as the two armies took dif- ferent roads, Demetrius entered Epeirus and Pyrrhus Aetolia almost at the same time. Pantauchus im- mediately offered him battle, in the midst of which he challenged the king to single combat. This was immediately accepted by the youthful monarch ; and in the conflict which ensued, Pyrrhus bore his enemy to the ground, and would have killed him on the spot, had he not been rescued by his friends. The Macedonians, dismayed by the fall of their leader, took to flight and left Pyrrhus master of the field. This victory, however, was attended with more important advantages than its immediate fruits. The impetuous movements and daring valour of the Epeirot king reminded the veterans in the Macedonian army of the great Alexander, and thus paved for Pyrrhus his accession to the Macedonian throne. Demetrius meantime had found no one to resist him in Epeirus, and during his expedition into this country he also obtained possession of Corcyra. After the death of Antigone, Pyrrhus, in accordance Avith the custom of the monarchs of his age, had married three wives, in order to strengthen his power by a close connection with foreign princes. Of these wives one was a Paeonian princess, another an Illyrian, and a third Lanassa, the daughter of Agathocles of Syracuse, PYRRHUS. 611 who brought him the island of Corcyra as a dowry But Lanassa, offended with the attention which Pyrrhus paid to his barbarian wives, had with- drawn to her principality of Corcyra, which she now bestowed upon Demetrius together with her hand. Pyrrhus accordingly returned to Epeirus more incensed than ever against Demetrius. The latter had previously withdrawn into Macedonia. At the beginning of the following year, b. c. 288, Pyrrhus took advantage of a dangerous illness of Demetrius to invade Macedonia. lie advanced as far as Edessa without meeting with any opposition ; but when Demetrius was able to put himself at the head of his troops, he drove his rival out of the country without difficult}'. But as he had now formed the vast design of recovering the whole of his father's dominions in Asia, he hastened to con- clude a peace with Pyrrhus, in order to continue his preparations undisturbed. His old enemies, Seleucus, Ptolemy, and Lysimachus, once more entered into a league against him, and resolved to crush him in Europe before he had time to cross over into Asia. They easily persuaded Pyrrhus to break his recent treaty with Demetrius, and join the coalition against him. Accordingly, in the spring of B, c. 287, while Ptolemy appeared with a powerful fleet off the coasts of Greece, Ly»imachus invaded the upper and Pyrrhus the lower provinces of Macedonia at the same time. Demetrius first marched against Lysimachus, but alarmed at the growing disaffection of his troops, and fearing that they might go over to Lysimachus, who had been one of the veteran generals and companions of Alex- ander, he suddenly retraced his steps and proceeded against Pyrrhus, who had already advanced as far as Beroea and had taken up his quarters in that city. But Pyrrhus proved a rival as formidable as Lysi- machus. The kindness with which he had treated his prisoners, and his condescension and affability to the inhabitants of Beroea, had won all hearts ; and accordingly, when Demetrius drew near, his troops deserted him in a body and tninsferred their allegiance to Pyrrhus. Demetrius was obliged to fly in disguise, and leave the kingdom to hia rival. Pyrrhus, however, was unable to obtain possession of the whole of Macedonia: Lysima- chus claimed his share of the spoil, and the king- dom was divided between them. But Pyrrhus did not long retain his portion ; the Macedonians preferred the rule of their old general Lysimachus ; and Pyrrhus Avas accordingly driven out of his newly acquired kingdom ; thus leaving Lysimachus master of the entire country. It is doubtful how long Pyrrhus reigned in Macedonia. Dexip- pus and Porphyry {apud Euseb. Ann. p. 329, ed. Aucher ; apud SpicelL p. 266, a.) state that it wag only seven months, which would place the expul- sion of Pyrrhus at the end of B. c. 287, or the beginning of 286 ; but as other writers relate (Pint. Ft/rr. 12; Pans. i. 10. § 2) that this hap- pened after the defeat of Demetrius in Syria, which did not take place till the middle of 286, the reign of Pyrrhus in Macedonia was probably somewhat longer. (Comp. Niebuhr, Hist, of Homey vol. iii. note 813.) For the next few years Pyrrhus appears to have reigned quietly in Epeirus without embarking in any new enterprize. But a life of inactivity was insupportable to him, and he pined for fresh scenes of action in which he might gain glory and ac- quire dominion. At length, in b. c. 281, the long It R 2